Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Garlic

Every few weeks I make a roast chicken for the family.  And every time I make it, there are a few core cooking techniques that I follow to make sure I end up with the perfect roast chicken.  But aside for those few techniques, I do insist on changing up the flavors so we can keep it interesting week to week.  In this roast chicken recipe video, I show you how to use both rosemary and slow roasted garlic to add flavor directly to the meat, and to make a killer gravy.  Rosemary is a natural pair with chicken and make it into a lot of my recipes.  Garlic, while generally pretty aggressive flavored, when roasted turn soft and sweeter, where the end result is more subtle and adds a wonderful flavor and aroma.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Recipe Overview & Keys to Success

To make the best Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Chicken, just follow these few cooking techniques:

1. Best way to tell the doneness of the chicken is to use a meat thermometer.  It’s a worthwhile investment.  Take your bird up to about 160 degrees at its thickest part
2. Make sure to roast the garlic in the skins to prevent it from burning, and they only need about 30 minutes in the oven; longer and they may overcook
3. I like to brine the chicken.  It gives it more flavor and moisture, so if you have the time I certainly recommend it.
4. Finally, I like to cook the chicken over high heat.  In the video, I show you a technique for getting the thigh meat done a bit faster right on the stove top; but I set the oven temperature at about 400 degrees.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC

Ingredients for Rosemary Garlic Chicken

• 1 whole roasting chicken (about 5 – 8 lbs)
• 2 - 3 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 lemon quartered
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter

Roasting the Chicken

• Clean the Chicken by removing it from the bag, and discard the innards (there are lots of great things to do with them, but that’s a different recipe)
• Brine the chicken for anywhere from 5  - 15 hours if you’d like; although you can skip it, as I do when I’m running short of time
• Dry off the bird with some paper towels, and put the quartered lemon into the cavity
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees while the chicken comes up to room temperature
• Rub the chicken all over with the butter, and then season well (inside the cavity as well) with salt and pepper
• I show you who to start this chicken on the stove top to get the thigh meat cooked off quicker; but you can also simply roast the chicken in the oven until done
• Heat a large pan (big enough for the chicken) over medium high heat, and the coat the bottom with olive oil
• Lay the chicken down in the pan sideways, on its thigh, and cook on that side for about 15 minutes
• Turn the chicken around, and cook the other side for about 15 minutes
• Now turn the chicken, breast side up, and move it into the oven
• After another 20 minutes add the rosemary sprigs, and the garlic cloves, which you should separate but not peel
• Allow everything to cook together until the chicken is cooked and the internal temperature reaches 160
• Remove the chicken to a holding plate and allow it to rest while we make the sauce
• Take the rosemary sprigs out of the pan saving just a few needles to add back to the sauce
• Remove the garlic cloves and break open skin, scraping out the soft flesh
• Put the pan over medium high heat, and add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan
• Allow the stock to reduce by half, then add in the garlic and the rosemary.  Mash up the garlic into the sauce
• Turn the heat off and stir in about a tablespoon of butter to complete the jus

Carve up the roasted chicken, spoon the rosemary garlic jus over the top and enjoy!

Wine Recommendation:  I think a pinot noir would be fabulous with this roasted chicken dish. If you can, find one without a ton of fruit. One that is more earthy would be great, and you may have the best luck with a Burgundy.